Right away, I knew I had seen this Camaro before. Well, maybe not this exact car, but its twin, for sure: in the classic bank robber thriller Heat, one of the characters is dropped off by his girlfriend who drives a yellow Camaro Z28 with black stripes, sporting those gorgeous slim chrome bumpers, just like this car here on eBay. Anyone else remember it? Even if you don’t, this Camaro is worth a look with just 60,000 miles and a numbers-matching LT1 350/360hp.
Curiously, the seller has just rebuilt that motor but hasn’t broken it in yet. He’s started the car to make sure it runs, but effectively, you’re buying a Camaro with a freshly rebuilt mill and hoping for the best. Not discrediting the seller’s work, but those first 1,000 miles after a rebuild are strong indicators of any lingering issues or new trouble spots. This Z28 sports some great options, including: The Z28 still has the original floor mounted gas pedal that only came on Z28s, along with front and rear sway bars, 12 bolt 3.73 Posi and the high red line tach, front disc brakes and the rear dual exhaust hangers and the original extended aluminum bump stops on the front suspension, Z28 only.
The interior looks even better than the outside, appearing even younger than its 60,000 miles would indicate. While we all long for manual transmissions, the automatic in this case is well-suited to the car. Per the seller: Has it’s rare Turbo 400 Automatic trans with it’s original 6 bolt stall converter with factory shift kit. Still has it’s functional reverse lockout. The vinyl bucket seats are in fabulous condition and the dash displays no cracks; the same can be said for door panels and shifter surround, all of which appear quite nice. The seller notes the headliner is starting to collapse and the Camaro comes with an 8-track player in the center console.
The Camaro has been stored indoors since the early 1980s. This likely helps explain why the body is so honest, which the seller believes is mostly original paint. The motor has some history beyond its recent rebuild, according to the seller: “Many years ago Jerry Macneish restored the original rare CA emissions control Holley Carburetor and the LT1 350 aluminum intake manifold.” Overall, this seems like the type of car you want to buy as it leaves some room for improvements to offer a bit of a safety net when (if) it comes time to sell. Bidding is approaching $25K with the reserve unmet at the moment.
I’ve been into second generation Z28’s for the last 40 years and have owned 4 of them. I have read almost every book written about them. This is the first time that I have ever heard about a special gas pedal! BTW, most 70 1/2 Z28’s came with the smaller one piece rear spoiler.
I bought a citrus green 1970 1/2 non-RS 4spd Z28 in February of 1970 when they first hit the streets. Mine had the smaller rear spoiler. I was under the impression the tall spoiler came out late in the 1970 run. Special gas pedal???
There is no such thing as a 70 1/2 Camaro, they were all 70’s until the 71 model year came out
Yes, the solid lifter 70-up Z28’s had the “truck” gas pedal, very common knowledge, same as the aluminum spacers under the front control arm bump stops, rear bumper guards, rear sway bar, 7k redline tach, etc
The COPO large rear spoiler was a late year (June?) 1970 production option, if you didn’t order it in 70 and 71, you got the short, 1 piece, rear spoiler
I bought my 70 M-22 Z28 in 1977, still have it …
Jeff, the seller put in his ad that to the best of his knowledge the car has 60,000.
You left that part out.
“I would clean out the tank and fuel line befor connecting the fuel line”, i.e., it doesn’t exactly run and drive. Why rebuild the engine and not finish such an easy part of the job, the one that would actually allow a potential buyer to judge the cars mechanics. It’s missing the rear bumper guards and has a three piece spoiler, would be unusual. Those issues raise questions about the car, where originality is a prime selling point.
Steve R
I’m not a Camaro know it all, but the rear spoiler was the first thing that caught my eye. I thought bigger spoilers didn’t come up as an option until 71′ or 72′ ? Somebody enlighten me. Interesting : I don’t see power steering , but power brakes and automatic ? ? ?
The mold broke for the 1 piece imho better spoiler iirc so the 3 piece went standard
^
totally false
There was a General Motors strike in 1970 that delayed the introduction of the second generation Camaro to 1970 1/2. They just continued building 1969 Camaros almost an extra 6 months. The 1970 1/2 Camaro was first available with the one piece rear spoiler. A lot of people added the three piece spoiler to make their car appear newer. I believe 1971 was officially the first year for it from Chevrolet.
Thank you.
I owned a 1969 Z-28 when the 70 1/2 version came out. The re-design was quite a shock and it took me a while to get used to it. They are truly great looking cars.
I felt the same way. Initially, I didn’t care for the redesigned 70 until my first car was a 71 RS then I loved it and I still do.
Am I the only one that didn’t know you could get full bumpers on first year gen2 Camaros?
It could take a while to figure that out.
The split bumper and urethane nose were the major draws of the Rally Sport option. It was an appearance option only. When ordered with either a Z28 or SS, those emblems superseded the Rally Sport fender emblems.
Steve R
The “split” bumpers have nothing to do with Z-28. That is a function of the Rally Sport option, which could be combined with base, SS, or Z-28. It wasn’t on this car.
Im a ford lover from the word go. But i love this body style and always have…id jusy have to put a 351 cleveland in it to make people upset but i would put the 350 in the garage to put back if and when i got rid of it.
I have wanted a mustang with a sbc for the same reason, or a BBC in a Cobra kit,
Love those wheels, but I missed the link. LT1, smoking set up.
It looks decent though why would it have “the original rare CA emissions control Holley Carburetor” if it was “sold new at Bill White Chevrolet Co. in Tulsa Oklahoma.” Oklahoma would not have had anything different smog wise than any state other than CA. Puzzling.
I didn’t realize the TH400 was available on these in ‘70.
The 3 piece spoiler did start late in the production year. My gripe is you paint the engine then you can’t paint the alternator bracket and put one bolt back in the radiator support bar. Never heard of the special gas peddle.
wow
had no idea there is so much mid-information here about the 1970 Camaros
1970 model year (there is no such thing as a 70 1/2, or a “split bumper”) was the 1st year for an automatic (turbo 400) in the Z28
the 3 piece spoiler was a late 70 model year COPO option, which became a regular production option for 1971. If you didn’t order the optional spoiler, you got the low profile 1piece spoiler
Wow Al, you are right. So right you had to say it twice.
No, there was not a “1970 1/2” Camaro. Some people called it that due to it’s “half way through the year” introduction.
No, there was not a “split bumper”. Some people called the RS a “split bumper” car when, in reality, it is two separate bumpers.
The Camaro I bought new in 2/70 was called a “701/2” (common nomenclature, not factory words), was not a RS (it had one bumper in front and one bumper in back [without bumper guards]), vinyl roof, 4spd car.
Your experience with the car you bought 7 years after introduction may be different.
my experience IS different as I have owned many, many early 2nd gen Camaros (1st one bought in 1973) and have educated myself through experience and factory documentation on the nuances of the early cars and the running production changes (again, early, 70-73 versions) of the 2nd gens
Much good info is on the web forum of nastyz28 under original drivetrain heading
I have also a very broad product knowledge of 69 Camaros (owned 75 of them over the years) and 3rd gen f bodies, but this is all about a 1970 Camaro Z28, which I know very well
The yellow car is also a Van Nuys built car (as is mine) which has additional production line nuances not common to the Norwood built cars
There is such a thing. We have our original 70 1/2 full bumper
Here is mine, bought in 1984, not a real Z28. 71 model & Still have it !
May list is for sale here soon, or the craigslist link.
Ended: May 28, 2018 , 11:07AM
Current bid:US $24,500.00
Reserve not met
[ 60 bids ]
I’m not disputing your vast Camaro knowledge al8apex, but I have been a member of the Ontario Camaro Club for a number of years.
http://ontariocamaroclub.ca/
Could be a regional thing, but we call them 70 1/2, just like we call them Zed 28’s.
It is not a regional thing. Every car magazine review from that era called them “70 1/2” Camaros. That moniker stuck.
My sister had a ’73 that would bark 2nd gear.
Around here they were called 70 1/2 cars. I bought a Camaro once with the short bumper on each side in the front. ( It did not go all the way across). Not sure of the year because I never drove it. I paid 150.00 for it and sold it for 250.00 sitting in the same spot.
Here’s my 73.
The WORST are the ones that tack on the split bumpers onto a non-RS front end. So obvious.
Nice to see one without the cowl induction hood for a change and with the stock dual snorkel air cleaner. Like the color contrast, those rims really make the look too. I thought that automatic would upset more than a few people here, I’m fine with it however.
Rebuild the motor,and NOT freshen up the engine compartment? Come on everyone,kinda makes ya think what kind of detail when into that motor build.
Like taking a shower with your socks on…🤔
Some people liked to have their 70-73 camaros front end look like Jungle Jim’s famous Camaro and not try to fake an RS version. If you added the complete front end,then that would be faking the RS. Adding just the 2 piece bumper didnt fool anyone who knows Camaros into thinking they had an RS.